1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording sheet package, a correction information sheet for the same, and a thermal printer for use therewith. More particularly, the present invention relates to a recording sheet package in which the number of remaining recording sheets can be recognized easily, a correction information sheet for the same, and a thermal printer for use therewith.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
There are two types of thermal printers, including a direct thermal printing type and a thermal transfer type, for each of which a recording sheet of a predetermined type is used. The recording sheet for the direct thermal printing is constituted by a support and three thermosensitive coloring layers overlaid thereon, which are cyan, magenta and yellow coloring layers. Heat energy of three values is applied to the recording sheet to develop colors of each of the coloring layers. Each coloring layer after being heated is optically fixed prior to thermal recording of a succeeding one of the coloring layers. For this optical fixation, ultraviolet rays of a predetermined range of the wavelength are applied to the recording sheet to destroy the coloring ability of each coloring layer. The succeeding coloring layer can be safely heated without influencing the density of the color developed in the preceding coloring layer. If the recording sheet of the direct thermal printing type is kept where it is subjected to light from lamps of widely used appliances, the coloring ability of the recording sheet is remarkably influenced. Consequently a stack of recording sheets is contained in a light-tight packaging bag, and furthermore, contained in a cardboard box to be shipped commercially.
There are two types of thermal transfer printers, including a wax-transfer type and a sublimation type. The wax-transfer printer melts or softens ink of ink film, and transfers it to the recording sheet. The sublimation printer sublimates or disperses dye of ink film on to the recording sheet. The recording sheet for the wax-transfer printer consists of coat paper having high smoothness. The recording sheet for the sublimation printer consists of paper coated with polyester resin. For both of the thermal transfer printers, a plurality of recording sheets are stacked and contained in a moisture proof bag, which is then contained in a cardboard box to be shipped for sale.
A recording sheet package is used for easy handling of a stack of the recording sheets. To load the printer with the recording sheets, at first, a packaging bag is opened to remove the recording sheet package, which is inserted in a sheet supply cassette. The sheet supply cassette is set in the printer. So the loading of the recording sheets is complicated to most of the users. While a user manually removes the recording sheets from the packaging bag, it is likely that the recording sheets are exposed to ambient light and touched by the user""s hand. In the case of the recording sheets for the thermal transfer printing, touched portions are discolored by fingerprints. In the case of the recording sheets for the direct thermal printing, the coloring ability of the uppermost one of the recording sheets is influenced by the ambient light.
JP-A 5-116774 discloses the recording sheet package in which the recording sheets are not touched directly by user""s hand, and with which the printer can be easily loaded with the recording sheets. A cutting line with a train of perforations is formed in a body of the recording sheet package. A portion of the body of the recording sheet package is cut away by tearing the cutting line, to form an opening for removal of the recording sheets. The tearing requires a user""s manual operation prior to the loading into the printer.
Thermosensitive recording sheet characteristically has a problem in changes in the coloring ability, as the coloring ability is influenced by temperature, humidity, and other various conditions in the preservation of the recording sheet. If a recording sheet has been kept long in a harmful environment, there occurs failure in printing due to a change in the coloring ability. The recording sheet is wasted after the printing failure.
Another problem lies in difficulties in recognizing the remainder of the recording sheets. The recording sheet package must be removed from the printer before the remainder can be observed through a supply opening of the package. Such a complicated operation has been required for checking the remainder.
In view of the foregoing problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a recording sheet package with which the number of remaining recording sheets can be recognized easily, a correction information sheet for the same, and a thermal printer for use therewith.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a recording sheet package with which environmental influences to image recording with a recording sheet can be eliminated, a correction information sheet for the same, and a thermal printer for use therewith.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a recording sheet package with which degradation of recording sheets with time can be compensated for in the course of image recording, a correction information sheet for the same, and a thermal printer for use therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a recording sheet package with which harmful conditions of preserving recording sheets can be compensated for in the course of image recording, a correction information sheet for the same, and a thermal printer for use therewith.
In order to achieve the above and other objects and advantages of this invention, a recording sheet package includes a stack of plural recording sheets. A packaging body contains the recording sheets. A detection cutout is formed in the packaging body, for receiving insertion of a sheet remainder counter, so as to allow the sheet remainder counter to push the recording sheets in a thickness direction thereof, the sheet remainder counter being adapted to detect a number of remaining ones of the recording sheets in the packaging body.
By this construction, the number of remaining recording sheets can be recognized easily, because the detection cutout enables the remaining sheets to be counted readily.
In a preferred embodiment, the detection cutout is formed in a top plate portion of the packaging body opposed to the recording sheets, and the sheet remainder counter is moved in the thickness direction when inserted in the detection cutout.
Furthermore, a protective sheet is disposed between a lowest one of the recording sheets and a bottom plate portion of the packaging body opposed to the recording sheets, for protecting the recording sheets. An auxiliary cutout is formed in the protective sheet, disposed under the detection cutout, and greater than the detection cutout.
In the sheet remainder counter, (A) a pusher is inserted in the detection cutout, for pushing the recording sheets in a thickness direction. (B) At least one train of graduation indicia is arranged substantially in parallel with a path of shifting of the pusher, and disposed at an interval determined in consideration of a thickness of the recording sheets. (C) A pointer is disposed in a predetermined position on the pusher, for pointing one position in the at least one train of the graduation indicia, to indicate a number of remaining ones of the recording sheets inside the packaging body.
In another aspect of the present invention, a correction information sheet is used with a recording material package. The correction information sheet includes a temperature indicator portion for detecting a present temperature, and for visibly indicating a selected one of at least first and second predetermined temperature ranges within which the present temperature is. At least first and second sets of correction information are predetermined in accordance with states of the recording material conditioned by respectively the first and second temperature ranges, indicated externally, and designated selectively in accordance with the first or second temperature range associated with the present temperature.
By this construction, environmental influences to image recording with a recording material can be eliminated, because a difference between a safely used temperature of the recording material and too high or low temperature is compensated for by correcting the recording density.
In a preferred embodiment, the temperature indicator portion includes at least first and second regions arranged in sequence, and any one of the at least first and second regions associated with the present temperature changes in a color, for designating first or second temperature range.
The recording material is thermosensitive recording material colorable in response to recording heat energy applied thereto, and the correction information is adapted to correct the recording heat energy.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a correction information sheet includes a humidity indicator portion for detecting a present humidity, and for visibly indicating a selected one of at least first and second predetermined humidity ranges within which the present humidity is. At least first and second sets of correction information, predetermined in accordance with states of the recording material conditioned by respectively the first and second humidity ranges, indicated externally, and designated selectively in accordance with the first or second humidity range associated with the present humidity.
By this construction, environmental influences to image recording with a recording material can be eliminated, because a difference between a safely used humidity of the recording material and too high or low humidity is compensated for by correcting the recording density.
In another aspect of the present invention, a recording material package includes a recording material. A packaging body contains the recording material. A sample recording sheet is constituted in a manner of the recording material, and disposed outside the packaging body. Plural sets of color sample information are indicated with the sample recording sheet, for representing colors of the recording material changed with time. Plural sets of correction information are indicated in association with respectively the sets of the color sample information, wherein when the sample recording sheet is in a state of a selected one of the sets of the color sample information, one of the sets of the correction information is designated in association with the selected set of the color sample information.
By this construction, degradation of the recording material with time can be compensated for in the course of image recording, because the sets of the color sample information can be used to estimate the degree of degradation of the recording material.
In an additional aspect of the present invention, a recording material package includes a recording material, having a recording area adapted to image recording. A packaging body contains the recording material. At least one temperature indicator portion and/or at least one humidity indicator portion is disposed on the packaging body or a portion of the recording material different from the recording area, the temperature indicator portion having low density before a reach of temperature to a predetermined temperature level, and developing high density irreversibly in response to the reach of the temperature to the predetermined temperature level, and the humidity indicator portion having low density before a reach of humidity to a predetermined humidity level, and developing high density irreversibly in response to the reach of the humidity to the predetermined humidity level.
By this construction, harmful conditions of preserving recording material can be compensated for in the course of image recording, because excessively high or low temperature or humidity to which the recording material has been subjected can be recognized for the image recording.
In a preferred embodiment, the temperature indicator portion has the low density before a rise of the temperature to the predetermined temperature level, and develops the high density irreversibly in response to the rise of the temperature to the predetermined temperature level, and the humidity indicator portion has the low density before a drop of the humidity to the predetermined humidity level, and develops the high density irreversibly in response to the drop of the humidity to the predetermined humidity level.
The recording material has a recording surface and a back surface reverse thereto, and the temperature indicator portion and the humidity indicator portion are disposed on the back surface.
Furthermore expiration date information is indicated on the packaging body or a portion of the recording material different from the recording area, for representing an expiration date of the recording material.
In a thermal printer, (A) an information reader reads the temperature indicator portion and/or the humidity indicator portion. (B) A printing controller corrects recording heat energy for image recording by use of correction information according to the temperature indicator portion and/or the humidity indicator portion, the correction information being predetermined in accordance with a state of the recording sheets conditioned by the predetermined temperature level and/or the predetermined humidity level, the recording heat energy being applied to each of the recording sheets after being corrected.
In a further aspect of the present invention, a recording sheet package includes a stack of N recording sheets. A packaging body contains the recording sheets. An indicator window is formed in a top plate portion of the packaging body in a predetermined position, and adapted to observe an uppermost one of the N recording sheets therethrough. Number information of 1xe2x88x92N, indicated on a respective top surface of the N recording sheets and inside the indicator window, associated with the N recording sheets in an upwards increasing sequence, for representing a remainder of the N recording sheets in the packaging body.
By this construction, the number of remaining recording sheets can be recognized easily, because the indicator window and the number information of 1xe2x88x92N are very simply structured.